


Under your spell

by Anayaah1611



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-09 05:09:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8877256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anayaah1611/pseuds/Anayaah1611
Summary: "If I were to wed, then it would be for love and nothing less, which is why I shall not." The rebellious blonde adamantly replied, after having listened to the old lady attempt to convince her for the past hour. Little did she know, that the day she would take back these very words was just a hop, skip and jump away. EdWin medieval AU. R&R!





	1. Chapter 1

**PROLOGUE**

"The weather is quite lovely this morning don't you think, my lady?" The golden haired gentleman questioned, appearing desperate to hold a conversation with the woman before him, not that anybody was alerted of his presence but her.

"And you have a reason to come here again besides small talk, I believe?" The woman gibed more out of habit than actual dislike at his arrival during the earliest hours of the morning.

"Is my growing interest in your obsession over chunks of scrap metal reason enough?" He jested at which the young woman rolled her eyes.

His words weren't all lies albeit not the complete truth.

This blue eyed maiden had invaded his dreams and awoken a desire, the likes of which no machine ever could, though letting that slip out of his mouth would be a grave error in his endeavor to catch her attention.

He knew better than to flatter her beauty and she desired no flamboyant lifestyle which made it infinitely harder and two times more amusing to grab her interest than any in the haute ton.

**_And he had always loved adventures._ **


	2. The Lady

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for choosing to read my historical AU and there are a few things I'd like to talk about.
> 
> For one, since im writing about the 17-18th centuries, the English might be a little hard to understand, which I have tried to simplify as much as possible, but to keep the essence of the time period, I cannot change much.
> 
> Second, I will make a glossary and explain a few of the words I think you might find difficult.
> 
> That's all for now! Please let me know how it is in the reviews and thank you for reading!
> 
> Glossary:
> 
> (1)Garb- Clothes
> 
> (2)Wench - a whore/slut
> 
> (3)Fathom - Imagine
> 
> (4)Summers - a way of counting years
> 
> (5)Eshoppé- Old word for shop
> 
> (6)Castilian robe - A fashion of ball gowns that was very popular in the 1800s
> 
> (7)Card- a card provided to women for writing down their partners for particular dances.
> 
> (8)Minuet - Type of ballroom dancing very famous in the 1800s
> 
> (9)To have your cap set on - To intend to marry
> 
> (10)Jest - To joke
> 
> (11)Drút - Beloved friend
> 
> (12) Rake - A flirt

**_Chapter 1: The Lady._ **

"Oh for heaven's sake!" The troubled woman cried out, pacing back and forth in the tiny room.

"Put down those tools and go out! "

She had told her time and time again, so many times that her now tired nerves were losing count.

The young woman who sat on a chair in the far corner of the room, put down her drilling gun and looked up at the old lady.

"I went out to the market place just yesterday, grand mama," she replied, wiping her dirtied palms on the apron that hung from her waist covering the lower half of her simple peach garb(1).

"And it wasn't a very pleasant trip I must say, meeting the blacksmith's wife. She's quite the hassle to deal with."

"Winry!" The old lady admonished at the child's shameless remark.

She could swear that most of the wrinkles appearing on her visage in the past few years were thanks to this young girl. Sure, she had seen her fair share of rebelious children, but none so stubborn as this blue eyed beauty.

Winry was a mere six, when she stumbled into the tiny stall in the middle of nowhere - that originally belonged to the old woman's late husband - on a stormy night, all drenched and cold. The woman couldn't fathom(3) what terrible happenings had caused her to appear so miserable, but she had thought better than to ask.

That was ofcourse, till she heard it from the lot at the marketplace.

"My dear," she said, placing one hand on her beloved child's lap. " You know I wish for nothing but your happiness." Pinako dearly loved her most among all in the world. Biased, the folk called her, but it mattered not to her for she admired this rebellious adolescent who she had raised akin to her own.

Winry made a very unladylike snort at the comment, though she knew what the older lady said was all true.

"If you indeed do as you claim, then why do you coax me to return to that dreadfully isolated mansion ?"

Pinako said nothing for a moment, possibly trying to formulate a proper reply.

"This tiny abode is no place for a woman of your..." she said, considering what word would be less harsh, and put less of a boundary in between them.

"..rank."

"What would you rather I do?" She said, pulling out the soap from one of the cabinets. She absolutely disliked being labelled by anybody, the hierarchy was irrelevant to her.

"I have no home but here."

The older woman opened her mouth to argue, but shut it in dismay.

12 summers(4) ago, during the onset of the coldest month of the year, when the old woman was running to seek shelter in her home after having been caught up at the market, finding the half dead child at her doorstep had left her surprised beyond belief.

She had no way of looking for the child's relatives in the turbulent weather and so, simply kept her in her shop with the other homeless children she often took care of.

When asked her name, she answered:

"Winry Rockbell."

When the storm had calmed, Pinako went about her usual routine of roaming the marts and her good friend Rebecca had choked on air at the mention of the child's name.

_Sir Yuriy Rockbell was the duke of the Resembool_ , she had said, _but was killed along with his wife while rescuing wounded soldiers in the Ishval War._

They seemed to be good people.

_The one to inherit their entire fortune was their then four year old daughter named Winry Rockbell_.

She was no normal child, she belonged to the nobility.

Ofcourse, she did have a home - a mansion to be completely honest - but to her it felt hollow, full of neigh but maids and servants that could hardly keep the rebellious child still or entertained for even a moment.

So she would often run off,ending up in a heap of trouble and the old woman concluded that it was probably how she had ended up in the mechanic's eshoppé.(5)

However, it wasn't the last time Pinako would see her.

At their first meeting, the child had taken a liking to the older woman, and watched her work with a keen eye.

Pinako's late husband was a genius, he had found a way to reconstruct a human hand, the secret which he revealed to none except his doctor friend.

Pinako had sworn to find it out by studying it herself and completing her husband's unfinished piece of work.

And Winry was quick to learn too.

She kept escaping from her mansion to come to the run down stall, in hopes that she could learn the beauty of medical sciences. When reprimanded for bothering who was now referred to as 'grand mama' lovingly, she would sit in a corner, taking one of the books on the many shelves and read till she tired herself or fell asleep.

She had surpassed all the knowledge even the old lady he'd learnt in but a fortnight, now able to use screwdrivers with ease. At first, her caretaker did not want her to touch the dirty tools, but she soon gave into Winry's demands.

She really had no victory against this maiden.

"I wish for you not to return to a lonely life, but share it with another."

Winry rolled her eyes, her gaze fixated out the window.

This was probably the hundredth time she was hearing this statement.

"Do you still wish to play this game, grand mère?" She asked in annoyance, wanting to evade the subject altogether but she knew from practice that the old woman was stubborn and would not let her off with just one word.

Luckily for her though, as they were conversing a carriage wheeled in,stopping just by the little shop.

Racing out, Winry swung the door open, a wide smile on her face.

"Rose!"

The brunette with bangs much like her name, covering two thirds of her beautiful face turned around to look at the girl in an equally merry demeanor.

The two friends embraced, after a long while of separation, one of them having gone far away from home.

"How were the States? " Winry curiously questioned the girl, inviting her into their workplace.

"Oh, splendid! How many stories I have to tell you, my dear friend!" Rose said, her eyes twinkling like stars in the night sky.

"Then I shall gladly listen to them all." Winry said, putting a cup of morning tea in front of Rose.

"How do you do, grand mama Pinako? " She asked, courteously bowing to the older woman.

"Is my friend still riding on your nerves?"

Lady Rosè Thomas, daughter of the Earl of Liore, was a refined young woman who could caught the eye of many men with her charming body and glowing skin. She always claimed that Winry would be more beautiful, had she dressed well more often.

An offer that Winry most courteously declined.

"I certainly do have a lot to ramble on about, but today I have come with a more meaningful purpose." The lady Thomas said, sipping on the Earl Grey placed before her.

"And what might that be?" Winry asked, sitting across her on the small diner.

Knowing fully well she'd be rejected in her first attempt, Rose pulled in as much air she could and put forth her invitation.

"Madame DuPont has organised a ball tomorrow eve," she began to say, already noting the change in her friends expressions.

"I wish for you to accompany me."

Pinako dropped her cup in the basin and came racing to where the Winry sat groaning.

"Isn't that great news? You should go my dear!"

The blonde pursed her lips into a thin line, clearly irritated.

"I have no interest whatsoever in these unions and you know that well, Rose." She asserted, not even entertaining the idea.

"I believed you would say that," her friend said sighing in exasperation. Convincing Winry to go with her was a herculean task, so Rose had already prepared a bribe.

"But I have something that you would really like."

The chocolate eyed woman held up the newest editions of 'improvement in medical and scientific fields'.

The sly fox!

Pinako stiffled a laugh, looking at the blonde woman's conflicted expression.

She hated social gatherings more than death, but she desired to own those books since the closest outlet she could buy it from was a town's distance away.

Giving into her greed, she agreed to go at which Rose jumped in joy, hand in hand with her grand mama.

"Let us meet at half past six, is that alright ?" Rose asked.

Winry nodded rather unenthusiastically, hoping she wouldn't be a nervous wreck when the time rolled by.

* * *

The next day flew in, with the morning over rather quickly and Winry was back in her mansion, her footsteps resounding eerily in the empty halls.

She had worn a Castilian robe(6) of pearl grey sarsnet that was elegantly lined with pink satin, to suit her snow white complexion.

Dainty glass slippers lined her shapely feet, giving her the appearance of an actual woman of nobility.

Truth be told, Winry knew exactly how to be lady-like, it being drilled into her head by the very many teachers she had dealt with.

Greeting, conversing, dancing, she was brilliant at them all though not very comfortable. She rarely attended balls or any social gathering in general, since politics never interested her, which was the most discussed topic.

Her life as a commoner was a secret known to none but her grand mama and Rose, so most people of the ton just thought her snobbish and she was perfectly content with that.

As her carriage stopped before the DuPont property, she noticed Rose's carriage right behind hers.

The brunette stepped out in a beautiful scarlet gauze brocaded with white silken flowers, her hair in an updo. She looked as stunning as the starlit night.

They bowed to each other and turned to greet the hostess, Madame DuPont, who smiled at the two young women.

"I appreciate your presence, my beautiful young ladies," she said in her honey sweet voice.

"And might I add, you look stunning im those beautiful gowns!"

After a good conversation with the older women, they proceeded to the refreshments room, where most of the women sat waiting to be asked to a dance.

"My Lady Winry," the Baron of Ridenberg, Lord Drew Nightskin called on her, bowing courteously to the beautiful woman before him.

The Baron had taken an interest in the fair maiden, who resembled a divine goddess.

"Will you reserve a set for me if your card(7) is not already full?"

The Baron was a rake(12) , something Winry was aware of painfully well, having heard of his... _mischiefs_ with most women from Rose on a previous occasion.

"It would be my pleasure," Winry said, writing his name on her card.

"The minuet(8) then?"

"Thank you my lady. I shall look forward to it." And bowing one last time, he left through the door having been promised to Lady Annabelle for the next dance.

He was very handsome, and gifted in most ways, but not to the liking of the golden haired woman, who was more for intelligence than money or face.

"My word! To have already scored a dance with the Baron within minutes of being in the hall?" Rose exclaimed, sipping on her punch.

"You are very desirable, Winry!"

Winry glanced at her friend, whose eyes were searching for someone in the crowd of the ton.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, it seems you have your cap set on(9) a certain gentleman already?"

Rose turned red in embarrassement, her eyes on the floor in shame.

"Well.. I am of age now.." she whispered and Winry let out a laugh.

"Well, then. Excuse me, the minuet is about to begin and I am destined to be bored to death by talks of horse racing."

* * *

After about an hour of dancing with various partners, her card full and legs about to tear apart, Winry stepped out into the open garden, the soft wind tickling her feet.

"Winry, have you had your fair share?" Rose asked, stepping down to stand near her friend, equally exhausted.

She had had a good evening.

"Enough to last me a lifetime." Winry whispered, blowing clouds with her breath.

There were preparations of some sort taking place on the streets before them, and Winry's curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"What is all the fuss about?" She questioned, her gaze fixed at the people fixing poles and cleaning the rodes.

"Oh, my dear, you certainly live under a boulder." Rose chortled , shaking her head at Winry's lack on information.

"Haven't you heard that The Earl of Resembool is arriving in the noon tomorrow?"

_Resembool_? Winry thought to herself.

She was too young when she left her hometown to come to the central so she didn't really remember much of her time back there.

Rose looked thoughtful. "From what I've heard, he was a war hero and is one of the youngest to earn a title . A prodigy, he is called among the ton." She said.

"He must be as young as us."

Winry raised an eyebrow. "He has received a title of his own at this young an age?" It almost seemed impossible, to be able to work at the age where most men fooled around with a variety of women.

"Would you consider him on your list?" Winry narrowed her eyes at the girl, who could jest(10) a lot when she was in a joyous mood.

"Immature men are not my preference," she said, walking back into the hall, the cold now biting her skin.

"Plus, with that much work load, I'm sure he must be a boring man."

Rose sighed. " You expect too much, Winry. You do not get exactly what you desire."

"That is why I do not wish to be wed."

_Poor grandmama Pinako_ , was all Rose thought before they greeted the Viscountess one last time, sat in their carriage and drove back to their respective mansions.

The clueless lady went to sleep that night,happily reading the books she had received from her drút(11), unaware of the storm that was about to sweep her away, in the form of one beautiful man.

**_And he was already here_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for now. Thank you for reading and let me know if you like it! I love y'all


	3. On first glance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. I'm sorry T_T I'm trying to update as soon as possible, but it's difficult. Anyway, I won't ramble for long. I hope you enjoy the new chapter! Leave your reviews and thank you for reading.
> 
> I love y'all!

"Thank you very much!" The blonde chirped, lifting the dust covered book on the counter and walking out of the library, a smile playing on her lips.

It was that day of the month when she was allowed to borrow any book she desired, a rule made by her grand mama after much convincing.

In order to assist her, Winry needed much more information than the research papers at the shop could provide.

The central library however, was a different story.

Humming a tune and greeting every person she recognized, she walked her way back to the shop after stopping by at the grocery and boulangerie.

It was a magnificent day, the weather just right for a stroll in the park or a horseback ride by the was weak to the beauty mother nature displayed and would often find herself admiring it in it's entirety.

The young woman raised her head, to face the sun that she admired most, but was met by something quite unexpected.

Up on the tree, there was a man, the first thing visible to her,his long legs draped in black pants.

Perhaps the reason she couldn't tear her eyes away from him were his cobalt orbs that scanned something he held in his gloved hands in concentration, or perhaps it was his long golden hair tied in a knot and fluttered in the wind.

Perhaps the reason she couldn't take her eyes of him was that he resembled the Sun.

But he was a new face, one she had never seen in town before and she knew almost everybody.

He wore a crimson overcoat, so perhaps he was a traveller?

She couldn't tell.

While the cyan eyed beauty stood under the tree, trying to guess where the man was from, without warning, she saw a shadow cover the sun.

And the next thing she felt was stones pricking her derriere, all her purchases scattered around her.

What a disaster.

"Good Lord!" He exclaimed, hoisting himself to his feet, offering a hand to the fallen and visible injured lady.

"I was so engrossed in reading that I didn't notice anybody standing around. My apologies."

He pulled her up after she had accepted his hand and once off the ground, she brushed her clothes that had crumpled post hurriedly checked all her purchases worried they'd be damaged,which they luckily weren't.

Heaving a sigh of relief, she picked them all up. Winry turned her attention to the man who was staring at a particular spot behind followed his gaze to where a brown object lay half open.

Her book!

She lifted it off, dusting the pages slightly and mumbling _"Thank goodness"_ under her breath.

"It seems we share the same interests." Eyebrow raised, she watched him lift his hand which held a similar book in it, with just one big difference.

The one he held was a limited edition.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, pouncing for the book in his hand as he stood appalled by her response.

He stared at her sparkling eyes that read the title over and over again.

"How did you get your hands on this?" She looked up at him, her eyes blue as spring rain meeting his amber orbs.

And after a whole minute of staying in the position, she realised her idiocy.

Taking a step back, she released her grip on his wrist and looked down at the floor to hide the flush of red that had made it's way to her cheeks.

She courtesied and tried to scurry away out of sheer embarrassement, but was stopped in her stride as he grabbed her arm.

She spun her head around eyeing his fingers that curled around her slim upper arm, unable to meet his eye. They drifted down the side of her arm and reach for the bag she held in them.

"It would be only courteous," he said, seeing as she wasn't ready to let to of the bags.

"After my folly."

He had purposefully touched her, his sensous smile giving it all away.

The nerve of this man!

She had no interest in handing him the bag, but the number of people watching them has increased and though reluctantly, she let it go.

He grinned and followed her as she walked on ahead, leading the way.

Quite a few moments of blissful silence later, he could hardly keep his mouth sealed.

"Why do you read a book on medical sciences? Wouldn't one more suitable for a lady be appropriate?"

She glanced at the man.

He was beautiful. His eyes had a youthful glint in them and despite his short stature, he was one of the most handsome men she had laid her eyes on.

She couldn't ascertain if he had posed an honest question or if it was pure mockery.

"Are you attempting to strike a conversation?" She glanced at the books in his hand that he handled with utmost care.

"Are you denying me the pleasure?"

She sighed.

"I've heard about my parents being life saviors," she said, a sad smile finding it's place on her beautiful face. Somewhere in her heart, she knew that all she desired was to feel their presence in her life.

"I wouldn't know, I don't remember them."

He just looked dumbfounded, but was quick to close his mouth that had been hanging open.

"My condolences."

She acknowledged it with a slight nod.

"And if I may ask, what is your reason?"

He looked distant the moment she raised the question.

"Somebody requires my assistance."

Upon looking at his godly features curve in one filled with painful memories , she reached for his hand and squeezed it, attempting to provide some comfort. Even though he was but a stranger, she felt his aura darken and his eyebrows furrow, something she disliked seeing.

The rest of the walk back was rather silent, an occasional ' _what a beautiful day'_ from her company to nullify the awkward silence that would have otherwise befallen.

As they stepped into the vicinity of her grand mama's shop, she halted.

"This is my destination. Thank you, good sir."

He looked somewhat disappointed, reluctance to leave evident in his features.

"I'll take my leave then," he said, handing her goods back to her.

He was certainly strange, but not in a bad way, she thought as she pushed the gates of the shop open.

* * *

Winry put down the safety gear she wore while working and rested her head on the table before her.

Having worked all night without consuming single a morsel of food, she was famished.

It was already daybreak and the girl had seen her grand mama leave early in the morning, probably for the women association meeting that was held once every week.

"You look rather exhausted."

She shrieked in surprise and whipped her head in the direction of the source.

There, outside her window, a man stood, his head in between his hands that were on the sill for support, watching her with a smirk.

"This is a breach of privacy!" She yelled, pointing at the man accusingly.

"I am truly sorry, but I lost my way and had no idea where to go. So I traced my way back to this store!"

A smiled danced on his lips which only further aggravated the fuming woman.

"And it would be wise to watch me while in house clothes how?"

"My deepest apologies." His face fell at her annoyed reply, almost immediately looking like a lost puppy.

And what could resist that?

Definitely not Winry.

"You could have just knocked..." She mumbled, throwing a cloth over her unfinished work and wrapping a shawl around her body. It wasn't decent for a man to enter her room while she wasn't dressed appropriately.

"Never mind,come in. I'll prepare some tea."

He hoped in, his spirits immediately lifting.

 _Such a child_.

As the two youngsters sipped on the elixir, Winry decided to break the silence.

"Where do you wish to go?"

He looked up from his cup to her, gulping the remnants in his mouth before talking.

"The city Hall."

Picking up the dishes, she put them down in the sink. She'd clean them once alone.

"I can direct you there, but if you're new here, why do you travel alone?"

The man looked away, as if not ready to converse about this subject.

"I had company, but I escaped them," His voice was low, almost as if he didn't want her to hear.

"They wouldn't permit me to roam as I wished."

Where had she heard this line before?

She nodded in understanding.

"Then what brings you here?"

"Work."

It almost seemed to her that he wished not to let her in on any further information and so she just allowed silence to fall.

"Is that.." She looked up at the boy whose eyes had caught something out of the ordinary.

And she soon realised what it was.

The part of the shoulder she had tried to construct was peeking out of the cloth, wires and metal melted and soldered to act as the upper hand. She had tried time and time again to get it right, but it was always lacking something, maybe it was expertise, or just a small part, but she had no idea.

Winry sprinted for her work desk, throwing the cloth over it in an attempt to pull a curtain on what he had seen.

But he couldn't unsee it.

"It's just something I was trying, but it doesn't matter because nobody would know what it-"

"Automail?"

Winry froze.

"Is that automail?" He repeated, as if unable to believe his eyes.

"You know of it?"

He fiddled with his fingers that remained hidden under the thick white gloves that looked rather uncomfortable in the warm heat that the morning had brought.

"You create it?"

Winry snorted, picking up the chunk of metal.

"I can hardly call this a creation."

"The intricacies aside," He took it from her hand, running his hand down the structure, analysing it professionally.

A little **too** professionally.

"It is near perfection."

" You seem to know a lot of details in this matter."

He momentarily lost the smile on his beautiful face, putting the object back in its place.

"I had forgotten to return this," He put down the dusty old book on her dresser.

"Lest you label me a thief."

He grinned and she giggled, watching him climb out of her window in one swift moment and disappear out the tiny gate in the next, _"May we meet again"_ being his last words.

Perhaps in a land afar, automail is but a common occurrence, she mused, washing the cups out of which she had sipped tea with a stranger.

Perhaps she would ask him the next time they met where this paradise existed.

That was, if there would be a next time at all.

And ofcourse, there was a next time, and a time after that, but with thier exciting conversations and exchange of knowledge, she almost always forgot to ask.

His name was "Ed", he had told her and she shared hers with him. They had developed quite an unexpected friendship which remained hidden from the eyes of the world, including her grand mama.

She could no longer deny how she always looked forward to meeting him.

* * *

"How many times do I have to refuse your requests for you to finally accept?"

Winry tut tutted, dropping the dishtowel she had been using and placing a tray of cream scones on the table.

Pinako was in her room, saying her evening prayers.

Winry wasn't a very religious child because she had realised it took most of the time she could have used to progress in her work.

Rosé frowned, taking her pick from the tray before her.

"Oh, please won't you?!"

After years of being close friends, Rose still didn't seem to understand Winry's aversion to large crowds. She despised it and avoided it like the plague.

"Winry, it's the last time I shall ever ask you, but please!" The blonde knew that it was a total falsehood and that surely a week later she would be here again, but she disliked to see her good friend begging for a favour.

"It's a masked ball, so you have no need to worry!" were probably the words that put the girl's mind to ease.

Masked balls were Winry's favorite, possibly because faces were hidden, and introductions were rarely made.

They gave her a feeling of comfort that the folk who chose to be with her would be for her own person and not her lineage.

It was a pleasure to the eyes, when Winry walked into the ballroom accompanied by Rosé, to look at the vibrant colours that decorated it in form of beautiful ball gowns.

Men were dressed elegantly in their evening around the town attire.

The debutante stood in the garden discussing the newest political improvement and she instantly knew where she was certainly not going.

Wanting total anonymity but due to the sudden invitation, Winry had worn a half mask, unwanted attention being something she disliked most. Rosé had donned only an eye mask, clearly expecting a certain someone to notice her.

Leaving the girl alone for her to...well, enjoy her partner, Winry seated herself on one of the many chairs in the corner, a glass of champagne in her hands.

"Why must a beautiful young woman be sitting alone in such a splendid party?"

Walking up to her was her very good friend, who was dressed marvellously in a pink ballgown that suited her strawberry blonde hair and chocolate eyes, an amethyst hanging from her long neck.

"Lady Risa." She got up to greet the woman who returned it with a gentle smile.

"I happened to chance upon your simple yet fantastic gown. Such exquisite beauty could be none but you."

This was, ofcourse, only half of the truth. Lady Risa, the daughter of the Viscount of Amestris had a very sharp eye, which seemed to run in her lineage, given their family name was "Hawkeye".

"And judging by your simple attire, I believe you have finally decided to stop playing cat and mouse with Colonel Lord Mustang?"

A hue of red spread through her face that was visible even through her half mask and Winry stiffled a laugh.

It had been years that they had known each other, her father being his mentor. Chasing her for decades and decades, it seemed he had finally acquired her attention.

"Oh hush now," she whispered to the girl, embarrassed by the people around watching.

"We are yet to declare it."

Winry sipped on her drink, looking around at people gracefully dancing, the room filled with gaeity.

"And what about yourself? Have you finally decided to let go of your stubborn refusal to marry?"

The blonde grunted in an unladylike manner, earning a heart laugh from her friend.

"Oh, surely it can't be that bad!"

"Not everybody is blessed with a loving fiancé as you are, my dear."

It certainly was fact that the Colonel looked nowhere else once Lady Risa was in sight, business or not.

He put her above everything.

"Well, I wouldn't deny it on my life." An expression filled with adoration sat on Risa's face and Winry couldn't help but feel happy for her, who had suffered the loss of her father.

She had finally let her past slip away, let it be just history.

"You cannot tell me you haven't your eyes set on any of these magnificent men!"

The very mention of a beautiful man brought to her mind the image of a certain amber eyed one, but she witheld her urge to slap herself.

"None at all."

"Earl of Resembool, Lord Edward Elric!" the gateman announced as he did for all the lords, but this one particular time, the entire hall went silent,music and dance alike.

As he walked in, all eyes fell on his scuptered visage. Golden locks of hair trailed behind him, a handsome attire full with a pocket watch hanging with a string from his pants.

And he was a face she could not forget.

"Drat!"

Winry dived behind the many refreshments that decorated the plates, hiding from his gaze.

"What's the matter?" Lady Risa after she had noticed Winry scuttling away behind the cream scones.

"Shush!" She said, a finger on her lip as she struggled to hide her face with the mask.

"What is he doing here?" She asked panicking.

" **He**?" Risa had a no idea what had the girl so riled up.

Winry pointed with a shaky finger to the newly arrived Lord.

"Lord Edward?" Risa looked taken aback.

"Why this party is rejoicing his arrival in the Central!"

She peeped above the table to see him greeting a few officials and noticed all the women fawning over him within moments of his arrival.

Very popular, wasn't he?

The biggest secret of her entire life would be out in the open if she did not leave this instant. But it wasn't just that. There was a clear feeling that had filled her being the moment she saw him there.

**Hurt.**

She would escape from the back of the hall without him even noticing her and they would never meet again. This was probably for the best, even though her chest tightened at just the thought.

To think he was a lord! He had probably escaped the company of his guards due to boredom and had tricked her into believing he was a commoner for entertainment.

She shook her if she was any better.

As she turned around to sneak out however, a voice halted her in her tracks.

"My lady," Head bent, hand resting on his chest and eyes closed, he looked like an angel ready to take her to heaven.

"May I have a dance?"

All her time at the ball, she had avoided complete contact with the ton and now she was standing right atop, recieving utmost attention. To be the first lady asked to dance with him was an honor to most other women, but to Winry at the moment, it called for nothing but trouble.

If she refused him, judging by the amount of stares, every woman would attempt to uncover her identity and they had their methods.

If she agreed, most would markedly ignore her out of jealousy and would forget once the dance was over.

"The waltz is to begin."

Ever since he had entered the room, Edward's eyes seemed to follow the movement of this particular damsel.

Her dress was as blue as her eyes, shimmering in the light and a satin waist belt on holding it in place. It hugged her curves in all the right places, dipping near her waist and then fanning out. The mask was studded with shining jewels covering half her face, her lips the only feature revealed and he wasn't complaining at all. She looked ravishing.

But what struck him as strange was, why, out of all the women in the ballroom, was this one woman who stood in the corner seemingly hiding from him hogging all his attention?

When their eyes met, something clicked.

He knew he had seen her somewhere before.

Edward hardly had any interest in women of the ton, their obsession over dresses made for a rather boring conversation. He had told himself that he would not ask for a dance tonight, he'd sit it out, just rendezvous with his peers and leave.

And yet here he was, enchanted by the beauty of this lady, even just holding her hand sending his mind into turmoil, imagining these very fingers touching his body very sensously.

He skillfully guided her to the dance floor, one arm resting on her back and the other held hers raised above eye level. He pulled her closer, her soft bosom making contact with his firm chest, sending shivers down her spine.

As they spun around the floor, never breaking eye contact, he decided to speak.

"You dance elegantly, my lady." He whispered in her ears.

Winry courteously smiled back , slightly bowing her head, acknowledging his compliment.

"You aren't half as bad yourself, my Lord." She replied, his soft voice tickling the hairs at the nape of her neck that stood in attention.

How she had struggled to reply!

She concealed her identity by lowering her tone to such an extent that he would never be able to tell who she was.

"I am relieved that I will return with my feet unflatenned."

A soft laugh escaped his lips, his eyes closing in the joy of their conversation.

"As am I."

He wore the standard eye mask like most of the gentlemen present that rested on his sharp cheekbones, his amber eyes peering at her through them. How she was aching to pull it off his face.

As the dance continued, he progressively got closer and closer than was decent in public situations and even though a siren rang in her head, she had neither the will nor the wish to push him away.

His hand drew small circles on the small of her back and her little gasps set his nerve on fire.

"Would it be too informal of me to ask your name?"

Winry froze, her feet nearly stopping all movement, before resuming to dance.

"I prefer this anonymity, my Lord. It is so much more exhilarating."

Edward drew her closer, his lips resting on her neck as she arched her back, pushing her small front into his chest, eliciting a groan from him.

"Then shall I unmask you?" He whispered seductively, his husky voice only making her shiver in his tight embrace .

This was not a good sign. She needed to escape at once.

As the dance ended and everybody stopped all movement, Winry let go of his hand, disappearing through the crowd of people that had gathered around him the second the waltz had ended.

As he reached out for her, the only thing that he could grab was the ribbon that held her hair, which now opened, sunny blonde strands bouncing with every movement.

The surprised girl ran into the garden, her face hot and heart pounding into her chest, whether due to her race out or the feeling of his body against hers, she couldn't tell.

That night, she got into her carriage and went straight home, leaving a confused Rosé to wonder where her friend had disappeared off to.

But the indecent thoughts off the feel of his breath fanning her face or his fingers trailing up and down her arm, were the only thing running through her mind as she tried to pull herself together, her thoughts running haywire.

Would he do this to every woman in the ton? she thought to herself, clenching her fists unconsciously. He should have come with a warning, after all, he was hazardous to her health.

This was the last time she would tolerate his presence, she told herself.

She would never let him ruin her perfectly peaceful life.

This was, however, just the beginning of her chaotic future, as stormy clouds brewed in the sky above the woman who wouldn't sleep a wink for the next days to come.

And she wouldn't be able to for a very, **very** long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Old ball dances look so beautiful that I just couldn't resist writing this part. I hope you enjoyed! I love y'all!


	4. Chapter 4

The following morning, Windy awoke in her bed as the curtains were parted by one of her chamber maids.

"Good morning, my lady."

Winry said nothing, just stretched and yawned, straightening out her nightgown.

"We have ham and turkey sandwiches with Darjeeling tea for breakfast," the maid said while pulling out clothes from the closet.

"Would you like me to bring it here?"

The blue eyed maiden nodded and proceeded to the changing room to dress herself. Although she wished the happenings of the previous night were but a dream, her body was refusing to believe so as she could still feel the tips of his fingers caress every part of her body where skin was visible.

He had looked completely different from his usual jolly demeanor, appearing more arrogant, more serious and more teasing.

But the matter that ignited a fire in her heart was that she had probably not been the only woman he had danced with and another may have even warmed his bed, for that is how the system worked.

It was despicable.

Winry had never let a man have his way with her like so, but somehow she was unwilling to separate from him, most certainly due to how gently he had handled her.

This was the first dance she had wholeheartedly enjoyed.

And this idea was enough reason for her to never see him again.

"Lilianne," The maid came shuffling into the room with breakfast on a tray.

Winry handed her a letter.

"Please deliver this to Grand mama. I shall not visit the eshoppé today."

Lilianne bowed and left.

If she were to disappear for a while, he would soon give up on her, after all that was all she meant to him.

A muse.

Tying her bonnet and fastening the pelisse, she skipped past her bed into the long hallway and then out the house, for today, she had somewhere else to be.

She stepped into her carriage, informing the carriage man of her desired destination and departed for some much needed peace of mind.

* * *

Edward sat on the tree branch assuming that he would catch a glimpse of his new lady friend, but it did not seem to be his lucky day. Somehow, he had just believed that one look at her and he would forget the incident last night that had kept him up till dawn.

His hand still tingled in excitement at the creamy flesh he had felt, as he clenched and unclenched his fist unconsciously.

He needed to see her. And soon.

* * *

As the carriage halted, Winry ascended from it into the hills on the outskirts of Amestris.

She walked past the gate into the familiar environment for it was a place she had visited since time immemorial.

The cemetery.

Having had lost her parents at a young age, the child had spent most hours crying by the tombstones, the cold ground drinking her salty tears.

She placed her hands atop it, unconsciously wiping off the mould that had covered it.

"Mother, father," she choked, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill.

"I miss you dearly."

She spent time talking to them, wondering just how brilliant her life would have been had they been alive. This was not to say that she wasn't proud of them for having sacrificed their lives for the sake of others, but she was allowed to be a selfish child at least once in her life.

At least on their death anniversary.

A loud bark startled her out of her trance and from behind their graves stepped out a canine. It limped to where the maiden stood and rubbed it's snout on her peach dress.

This adorable sat and pepper dog had protected all the graves in the cemetery from ever being vandalised and most felt their deceased relatives were safe in his protection.

And as repayment, Winry had taken it upon herself to create an automail leg for him when it would be ready, she only hoped he'd survive till then.

The alone child walked out of the lonesome graveyard as the chilly air did not allow her to stay any longer, but as she walked past a dozen more headstones, a particular one caught her eye.

_Here rests Lady Trisha Elric_

_Beloved Mother, Wife and Daughter_

_17XX - 18XX_

_Elric?_

She placed her hand on it and found it to be clean, as if recently washed. And then it hit her.

' _They wouldn't permit me to roam as I wished._ '

This is where he had wished to come. And most probably, he hadn't lost his way, but had sought her company to soothe his aching heart.

And how cold she had been to him!

Almost instantly she felt apologetic as a wave of guilt washed over her. She rushed to the carriage and directed the carriage man to where she wished to go. Even after having told herself that she would never see him again, she could not go through with it.

She felt sympathetic after all. Yes, that was her only reason.

* * *

Edward sat in his carriage, blowing small rings of smoke in the air as it stopped at the tiny bar on his side.

Getting off, he pushed past the bustling city inhabitants, to the stools at the other end.

"You're early."

He paid no heed to the comment, seating himself on a stool and asking for his usual choice of drink.

"What a sour mood you are in, pipsqueak."

The Lord snapped at these words, turning to look angrily at his dark haired companion.

"You should consider yourself fortunate that we are in public, Colonel," Edward said through gritted teeth.

"Else you would have been burnt to a crisp."

"Oh but I always am, when Risa comes into my -" But the younger boy interrupted this flow of thoughts, his face crunched up in disgust at the lewd comment that was the usual and whether he did it to induce discomfort or for his own amusement, Edward couldn't tell.

"I am hardly interested in the maiden's you occupy yourself with or any maiden's for that matter."

These were probably the exact words the colonel was expecting as he pulled out his big guns.

" But it seems you rather enjoyed a good dance with an unknown lady in last night's ball, if I am correct."

The amber eyed boy flinched at his words, clearly not expecting to be hit by an argument on a matter he still couldn't get his mind off of.

"I have an image I am to maintain. Anyhow, that mistake shall not happen again."

The colonel simply smirked; he knew he had hit the right spot.

"Besides all your unnecessary rambling, do you have any information to deliver or have you summoned me to amuse yourself?"

"Well, I can do both."

Edward rolled his eyes at the older man who simply laughed, pulling out a note from his coat pocket and handing it over the the younger Lord.

"There is a shop to the East of the city where the mechanic's wife resides," Ed listened in pure silence.

"She has certain notes that might aid you in your endeavor."

Was he referring to the girl? She was surely too young to be a bride! And in the case that she was, why had she not told him so? She had responded to him so openly too!

"Edward, what is the matter?" The boy shook his head very unconvincingly. His lips twitched in anger.

The colonel eyed him in concern for a second.

"As I was saying, you should probably find a way to befriend her."

The boy got on his feet, paying for both their bills and donning his hat, tipped it at the gaping man. He looked very dangerous, murderous even.

"That should not be difficult."

Of course, his assumption would be proven very very wrong in but a few hours time.

* * *

The maiden looked out the window, hoping he'd come by any second even though she had long since missed their usual time of meeting.

Was it that wrong to desire his presence?

As she was about to pull the curtain to take her mind off him, she saw him walking in through the gate. Nearly ripping the curtain apart, she began to fuss over her attire and the neatness of her room.

As the curtains flew open, she tried to behave as though she wasn't so eager to see him, but it would be a big fat lie.

Yet she couldn't say he returned those feelings because at the moment all his face portrayed was rage.

"You look very delighted to see me."

His voice was terrifying, scaring her to her core.

She promptly turned red at his comment and made a very weak attempt to deny it.

" N-not really."

His jaw tightened at her reply and she was certain if he didn't stop, his teeth would turn to powder.

"Are you hiding something?"

Her mouth hung open and she gulped, the nervousness that had begun to take over her being. She inched a few steps behind as he came closer and closer.

He had found out? But they had made contact for but a second!

"N-no," she started in a voice of fake confidence.

"No I am not."

In a flash of a moment he was standing in front of her, one hand caging her against the wall she had unconsciously backed against and the other by his side. Up close she could see flames in his eyes. He was angered beyond control.

"It is not befitting of a maiden to spout falsehoods." There was a fearsome edge to his voice as his jaw twitched.

What even had him so furious?

"And a gentleman is permitted to?"

The boy raised his eyebrows at her response.

"Do not misinterpret my words."

"Do not accuse me of falsehoods!"

She flailed her hands, trying to escape from the prison of his arms.

Soon after she began her assault with her fists, he grabbed her wrist, and caged it above her head as she struggled to escape. She wriggled, but not once did she call out for help, as if she did not really wish to be caught at all.

She was now completely defenseless.

He edged closer and as his breath began to touch her neck, she whimpered, shutting her eyes and her lips quivering.

"Why," he asked silently, kissing her exposed collar bone, once again making her body tingle.

"Why do you react to my touch so much?"

She could not conjure up a response as he did not stop, pulling her flush against him by the waist and tracing her back with his fingers.

But she did question herself. Why did she react to him so? She had met plenty a beautiful men but never been attracted to any in this manner.

Then why?

He pushed her against the wall, his lips dangerously close to hers and she squeezed her eyes shut. Two seconds passed by and nothing happened.

When she opened her eyes, all she could see was his pained expression as she stood watching her from a distance. He looked hurt, broken, torn.

"Why would you lie to me?"

She didn't say a word as tears threatened to fall down her face.

"Why didn't you tell me you were married?"

Winry's eyes widened at his words and her mouth fell open.

"Married?"

"You are the mechanic's wife, are you not?"

Winry openly stared at him without a word escaping from her mouth. And a second later, she burst out laughing. Even though the situation was serious, she looked a mess, her hair was all frizzy thanks to his assault, yet she couldn't hold it back.

"Oh you jest!" She held her stomach and crouched attempting to breathe through her giggles.

He looked surprised to say the least.

"Why do you laugh?"

She walked to her drawer and pulled it open, revealing a tiny painting in it.

It was of a young woman standing beside her supposed husband in a wedding gown.

"The owner of this shop is the mechanic's wife," she managed to say through her laugh.

"And my foster grand mama."

He blinked once. Then twice. Then thrice and raised a hand to his mouth.

That cursed colonel!

"Th-then you're un...married?"

She nodded her head and stood in front of him. For some reason, he had the desired to heave a sigh of relief, but of course he could not.

"Oh, thank the Lord. I thought I had been getting too personal with another gentleman's wife."

Winry stood trying to crack a smile, but a tear slipped down her eye. And another and on and on till she began to sob. Almost immediately Ed rushed to her side, holding her to him and rubbing her back in a soothing motion.

"Forgive me," he whispered in her ear as she cried into his chest. She began to realise how afraid she had become the minute she had seen the dark irises of his eyes, how terrified she had been of his attacks, but there was something that had the blonde more worried than everything else.

She had enjoyed every last bit of it.

"Edward..." She whispered through sobs bunching up his shirt in her hands, trying to tell him that she was alright by now.

But she had made a large error. When they had first met, he had introduced himself as "Ed" and had said nothing about his name being "Edward". Only those of the ton who had attended his welcoming party would have known this.

He pushed her by her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

**"How do you know my name?"**


End file.
